WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is shining a light on the Polaris Project, which has received millions in taxpayer dollars from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to solely operate HHS’s National Human Trafficking Hotline for nearly 18 years.
In a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Grassley cites legally protected whistleblower disclosures revealing the Polaris Project failed to report several instances of human trafficking – including child sex trafficking – to law enforcement. Grassley also highlights Polaris’ potential conflict of interest, noting Polaris’ co-founder currently oversees the HHS office responsible for awarding the National Human Trafficking Hotline contract.
“As you are aware, Polaris has received millions in taxpayer dollars to run this hotline, and if the grant is renewed, will receive an additional $9 million in funding. It’s imperative that HHS ensure the hotline is running efficiently and effectively to protect the countless victims of human trafficking,” Grassley wrote.
“These alleged failures by Polaris to report instances of human trafficking are deeply concerning and, if they are accurate, changes to the operation of the NHTH must be made,” Grassley concluded.
Forty-one Attorneys General raised additional concerns in an April letter to Kennedy regarding the Polaris Project’s operation of the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
Read Grassley’s full letter HERE and below.
May 5, 2025
VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Secretary
Department of Health and Human Services
Dear Secretary Kennedy:
On February 27, 2023, 36 Attorneys General (AGs), wrote to Congress expressing their concerns with the Polaris Project, which has been the sole contractor operating the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH) since 2007. This letter noted that Polaris, which is funded by taxpayer dollars, “is not reporting tips of adult trafficking to state law enforcement except under the limited circumstance where the victim self-reports and affirmatively consents to the Hotline making the report.” More recently, on April 15, 2025, 41 AGs sent you a letter regarding the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the grant to operate the NHTH. This letter raised multiple concerns about Polaris’s operation of the hotline. Specifically, the AGs stated that Polaris was “no longer sharing tips from concerned citizens and distressed family members with local law enforcement.” These alleged failures by Polaris to report instances of human trafficking are deeply concerning and, if they are accurate, changes to the operation of the NHTH must be made.
Additionally, according to reports, Katherine Chon, the co-founder of Polaris, is a “senior adviser at [the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)] and its director of the Office on Trafficking in Persons [OTIP],” the office awarding the grant. Given the importance of the NHTH, you must not allow conflicts of interest to affect the contracting process.
Legally protected whistleblower disclosures provided to my office appear to confirm the allegations that Polaris is not reporting instances of potential human trafficking to law enforcement. For example, according to an internal Polaris case file, in March 2025, an anonymous “signaler” contacted the NHTH and reported a “possible [sex trafficking (ST)] situation.” Polaris staff marked “Yes” for the case referencing potential minors and deemed the “Level of Trafficking Indicators” as having “High Indicators.” The case file also noted that the estimated age range of potential victims were “15-17; 18-21; 22+,” and that the potential victim indicated to the signaler she wanted police involvement. The case file further indicates that, according to the signaler, the potential victim is afraid “[s]he’s going to be physically hurt by the pimp running this company. She’s being forced to escort for sex and money.” It also notes that there are no existing reports to law enforcement. The signaler also disclosed that the individual accused of trafficking the victim also forces other women, potentially minors, to engage in these types of acts. Unfortunately, according to the records obtained by my office, a member of Polaris’s staff reviewed and labeled the file “Work Not Required.” A whistleblower told my office that this means the case is closed and law enforcement has not been alerted.
Another legally protected whistleblower disclosure to my office shows similar concerning behavior by Polaris and its staff. According to records provided to my office, in February 2025, a potential victim contacted the NHTH to report a “situation of [sex trafficking] involving herself and her minor sister.” According to the records, the potential victim and her minor sister were being held by two potential traffickers. Additionally, the case file notes that both of the potential victims were United States citizens and that the “Level of Trafficking Indicators” was marked as having “High Indicators.” Further, according to the records, the potential victim “[w]ishe[d] to report, not anonymously.” However, the Polaris case file noted that the potential victim stopped communicating “due to safety concerns.” The case file status is described as “unclear situation as [potential victim (PV)] stopped responding” and “Work Not Required.” According to legally protected disclosures to my office, that means Polaris staff failed to report this potential trafficking to law enforcement and no other action was taken.
As you are aware, Polaris has received millions in taxpayer dollars to run this hotline, and if the grant is renewed, will receive an additional $9 million in funding. It’s imperative that HHS ensure the hotline is running efficiently and effectively to protect the countless victims of human trafficking. Additionally, for Congress to better understand HHS’s oversight of the hotline and the Polaris Project, please provide answers to the following by May 19, 2025:
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